COUNCILLORS have approved the release of funds to enable a multi-million pound scheme to create a ‘Theatre Quarter’ in Darlington.

Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet met this evening (Tuesday, January 5) to approve the release of funds to progress a £12 million project to refurbish the town’s Civic Theatre and create a children’s theatre behind it.

Cabinet members agreed to increase the council’s contribution to £800,000 and also approved the renaming of Darlington Civic Theatre to the Darlington Hippodrome.

The majority of the money for the project is coming from the Civic Theatre’s ticket levy which has raised more than £6 million, along with an anticipated £5 million Heritage Lottery grant.

An additional £140,000 is being released from proceeds of the sale of the Darlington Arts Centre.

Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member for leisure and local environment, said that the council’s support for the scheme showed that in times of austerity it is still doing what it can to improve the arts scene in the borough.

He said: “This demonstrates our commitment to restoring heritage in the town; this will set up the Civic for a generation and certainly set it up for the 21st century.

“The £5 million grant is very important, but the greater amount of money is coming from the ticket levy from people who are visiting the Civic and from sponsorship and other money raised.”

Cllr Wallis added that the name change was something he was “particularly passionate” about as it took the theatre back to its 1907 roots when founder Signor Rino Pepi opened it as the New Hippodrome and Palace of Varieties.

Conservative group leader Cllr Heather Scott echoed that sentiment, adding that many of the older residents still saw the Civic as the Hippodrome.

She also approved the theatre scheme as a whole, saying: “I think that all of us as members will welcome this; I think it is very exciting and I hope that people will take the opportunity to look round the theatre before and after.”

The children’s theatre will be called The Hullaballon and will operate from the old fire station behind the Civic. Cllr Cyndi Hughes, cabinet member for children and young people, said it would “enrich the lives of children in Darlington and beyond”.

The Civic’s refurbishment will take place when the theatre closes at end of May and it will re-open in autumn 2017 as the 1,000-seater Darlington Hippodrome.

A public consultation on the development will take place on January 13, from 1pm to 7pm in the Dolphin Centre.